Mindset (29 page)

“My God, Callie, you’re right, it is!  He said his name was Ray.  He’d only been working there for a month or two, and he always said hello to us and would try to strike up a conversation.”

Callie didn’t know what to say.  She just shook her head in shock.  She had shot and killed this man.

“Callie, he tried to kill us and got pretty close to accomplishing that goal with me.  You did what you had to do, and it’s a good thing you did, or we might not be here.  And we have a whole new life to begin together, sweetheart, so let’s put this in the past and get started, okay?”

“He’s right, honey.  You don’t have anything to feel bad about.”  John stepped closer to Callie’s side.

Callie nodded quietly.  “I’m sorry the man’s dead, but I sure don’t have any regrets that it was him and not us.  I never thought I’d be responsible for killing anyone, and that wasn’t my intention, but I really didn’t have much choice.”

“We’ll follow up on this with the P.D. in New York and let you know if anything else comes up, okay?  In the meantime, I don’t think it was an accident that it was you who was shot, Mr. Maguire, instead of Ms. Dubeck.   Assuming it was Boyd behind the attack at the ranch, he could have easily shot her then, but instead he knocked her out.  I think his intentions were to take her with him for his own twisted reasons.  I think he was trying to clear the way to her by shooting you.  What I can’t figure out is why he set the fire and locked the two of you ladies inside to burn, rather than trying to take you with him somewhere.  It doesn’t make sense to me.  I’d think based on his criminal history that he’d want you alive for his twisted enjoyment, not dead before he had a chance to ... well never mind.  I guess we’ll never know.” 

The sheriff left shortly afterwards.  While Callie was processing this latest news, Josh was watching Eva closely.  He touched her shoulder, and she jumped, startled out of her thoughts.  She turned to look at Josh with scared, troubled eyes.  “Are you okay, Eva?”

“What if he wasn’t just a random stalker?  What if my husband sent him to find us and kill us?  I know you think I’m crazy, and I hate to sound that way, but I would not be at all surprised if he was behind this.”

Everyone in the room was looking at Eva.  Josh finally broke the silence.  “We didn’t listen to you the first time.  Maybe you are wrong about your husband being behind this, but you could also be right.  The theory of the shooter seeing you in New York and following you here is certainly viable, but that doesn’t mean that we can or should rule out the possibility that your husband and/or his family are behind it.  I don’t think a little extra caution would be a bad idea, and I’m going to keep the P.I. on the case in New York and see if he can tie Boyd to the Wesley’s.  In the meantime, I think you ladies should keep your guard up and be careful.  And, Eva, nobody here thinks you’re crazy, okay?”  She nodded and gave him a shy smile.

“In our family, we take care of our own, and everyone in this room is included in that,"  John added.

Chapter 22

Two weeks later, New York

New York was in the middle of a heat wave.  Patience was short, and tempers were frayed all over the city, but it had nothing to do with the rage that was building in the downtown office on the top floor of the Wesley Financial building.

“That fucking bitch!”  James’s normally handsome, all-American, good looks were mottled in his fury.

Even his brother, Richard, could not seem to calm him down.  “James, it’s time to just cut our losses and move on.  There are plenty more beautiful women out there to choose from for both of us.  I don’t even want Callie anymore.  And the expansion in Mexico is well underway, so it’s not like you need Eve anymore to smooth your way into the right circles.  In any case, Boyd is dead now.  Let it go.”

James reached into his pocket for his fourteen karat gold lighter.  “Let it go?  Hardly.  This isn’t over,” he said as he lit the stack of papers in his hand on fire and threw them into the trash can.  “This is far from over.  If that whore of a wife of mine thinks she can divorce me, she’ll soon find out how wrong she is.”

“James, you just set fire to the proof that she has done exactly that.  She has officially filed for divorce.  There is nothing you can do to stop it.  It would’ve been nice if Boyd had taken care of things and put Eve and Callie out of our misery, especially since we were in no way associated with him, but he didn’t.  I don’t want to send back another man, either.  He might be able to be traced back to us.  If only Boyd had been successful.  Even if he hadn’t killed them, it would have been nice if he’d at least treated them as he’d treated the other women he’s taken a fancy to, but oh well.  It’s time to move on.”

“Shut up, Richard!  When have you ever known me to lose at anything?  I am in charge at all times, especially where my wife is concerned.  The fact that she ever thought she could get away with this, that she could best me at anything, is what is so surprising.  She’s nothing!  I will not have her thinking she has defeated me, and I will not allow her to make me a topic of gossip.  Not that anyone would ever believe that she would leave me.  If this should get out before I can rectify the situation – and rectify it I will – everyone will assume that I am the one who kicked her out.”

“James, you’re better off without her.  She has no pedigree, she’s uneducated, has no connections, and no money.  You’re lucky she didn’t take you for a lot of money.  Next time you get married, you really should have a pre-nup.”

“I don’t need a fucking pre-nup!  Nobody takes anything from me unless I offer it!  Since I didn’t offer Eve a divorce, as far as I’m concerned we’re still married, and I still own her!  How she can possibly think that she can do whatever she wants to do is beyond me.  She may have gotten away from me for a short time, but that is a temporary situation, I assure you.  And when I get her back within my reach, I’ll make her pay for this embarrassment, and I will teach her for the last time who is in charge here.  Then we’ll see who the winner is in this little game.  She thinks she’s won, because some stupid piece of paper says we’re getting divorced?  She’s won nothing!  She may have taken round one, but that’s the last victory she’ll ever know.  When I’m through with her, she’ll be begging for mercy.

“I can’t believe after next week, you won’t have to leave me anymore in the middle of the night to go to your own bed.  Won’t that be nice, Cade?”

“Yes, it will.  And you won’t have to tip toe back to the house carrying your shoes anymore, either, like you will tonight.”

“Umm, I can’t wait.”

After a few minutes of quiet while each stroked the other’s bare skin, Cade held her tighter and kissed her.  “I can’t believe you’re mine.  I still can’t believe you’re willing to take a chance on me.  Thank you for loving me, Callie.”

“Thank you for letting me love you, Cade.  I’ve wanted you for such a long time.  I thought you would never let me in, and I’d made up my mind that we would be together.  I think I was very patient waiting for you to come around to my way of thinking.”

“For once, I’m very glad that you’re the hard-headed woman you are.  And stubborn, and tenacious, and relentless.”

“How long did you say it would take Jake to build the house?”

“Depending on what features we want, he said maybe two to three months.  He’s already drawing up some plans of what we’ve described.  Are you sure you want to go with five bedrooms?”

“Yes, I’m sure.  It’s just the two of us now, but someday, God willing, we’ll have a family.”

“Yeah, but five?”

“I’m not saying we need to fill them all up with kids.  Between your new consulting company and mine, we’re going to need an office.  Hmm, maybe we should make it six bedrooms, so we can each have our own office.  Of course, I guess I could set up an office at the Literacy Center.  Trish needs one, but there are two rooms we’ve set aside for offices.  I’ll have to be spending quite a bit of time there anyway, since we’re going to open for the summer.  Still, though, an office at home would be nice.”

“Let’s change the subject.  Are you sure you’re not going to miss having a big wedding?”

“I’m sure about that, too.  A nice Texas barbecue will be just perfect.  We’ll invite just our closest friends and family, and it’ll be cozy and fun.  I know most girls want the white dress, yada yada, but that all takes time, and I’m anxious to make this official before you can change your mind. 

 “Well, if you’ve made up your mind, I guess we’re finished talking about it.  Which is perfect timing, because I’m tired of talking.  I’ve got more important things to do, and
I’ve
made up
my
mind to have you again tonight before we go to our own beds alone.”  He laid back and pulled Callie on top of him.  She straddled him and flipped her hair back, and when he cupped her breasts she moaned loudly.

“Good plan, baby.  I like the way you think.  You should make up your mind more often.

About the Author

Elaine Dyer was born and raised in El Paso, Texas.  She is or has been a model, beauty contestant, teacher, Literacy Coach, supervisor, professor, mother, wife, sister, daughter, Auntie, friend, and most recently, author.  She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with family and friends over good food, wine, and margaritas.  She continues to live in El Paso with her husband, son, and daughter, and thoroughly enjoys living vicariously through her many heroines.